Virtual Displays of Affection: Social Networking’s answer to PDA

We have probably all done this at least a few times in our life, most when we were young teenagers who were in awe of this thing called “Myspace”. Everyone did it, so you joined in too. But the older you get, the more annoying it is to see a status such as, “I love so and so to the moon and back just because…” or “Blah blah is my world!” Er… what?

Sure, when we first start out in relationships, you are in the honeymoon period as we all know. Everything is great, fantastic even, and you are happy. You want to share this happiness with everyone, and I think people kind of accept that. But after a month or so, we get over it. Fair enough, be happy, but people will start to get a bit aggy.

But what I think gets to me more, is the people who still tweet or facebook VDA and do not see why others get annoyed. Nearly four in ten admit to feeling annoyed or embarrassed by friends VDA, because the other six are probably the culprits. I am sure I will get some comments about keeping my nose out, and that I shouldn’t get so wound up by other people’s happiness; I am happy for them if they are all loved up with their other halves; but I do not need to see it.

I sometimes think VDA is worse than PDA. With PDA, sure it is gross to see couples snogging (eew) the face of each other, but VDA kinda goes to the next level, because it becomes extremely personal. Some things I just do not need to know.

My twitter feed and my facebook wall gets swamped by VDA on a daily basis, but on twitter I can sometimes let it slide – if you write a tweet about a day out you and your other half shared, or that they got you a present, or if they have done a nice gesture. I also understand when couples share links on each other’s timeline because they saw it and thought it would make the other laugh, or if it is a shared interest, to be able to talk about. But I have had to hide a couple of close friends due to their VDA behaviour.

I do not need to know about you and your other halves “sexy” habits, I do not want to see half naked photos, I really do not need soppy love poems splashed for everyone to see. The whole point of being in a relationship is about you and your partner, not you, your partner, your friends, your colleagues, your frenemies, your parents!

At the end of the day, I cannot tell people how to act because every couple is different. But do not be offended if I end up having to hide you from my feeds because I still want to be your friend, I just do not want your VDA/PDA rubbed in my face.